Grab your green shirt and don't forget the corned beef; St. Patrick's Day will soon be upon us, and this year it's time to finally do it right.
In a world where most of us are waking up to the fact that stereotypes are wrong and it's time for society to change the narrative, we have to address the problematic nature of certain celebrations. St. Patrick's Day has long been associated with green beer, lots of drinking, and partying all night long. But the roots of that stereotype run deep. Read on to learn why, and discover how to celebrate St. Patrick's day respectfully with family and friends.
What is St. Patrick's Day?
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with kids
St. Patrick's Day isn't just for adults! There are plenty of activities you can do on this holiday and the days leading up to it. Taking time out to celebrate St. Paddy's Day with kids in a sensitive and appropriate way will go a long way toward combatting stereotypes and generalizations. But it starts with us — we have to consider what we say around our children and speak up when someone says something inappropriate.
"Children will carefully observe how the adults in their lives intervene when someone is the target of hurtful or discriminatory behavior. Silence in the face of injustice conveys the impression that adults condone the behavior or consider it not worthy of attention," Caryl Stern wrote for the Anti-Defamation League. "We must make it clear to our children that name-calling will not be tolerated and explain the thinking behind 'zero tolerance' when it comes to prejudice."
Bake St. Patrick's Day cookies
Use cookie cutters to cut out shamrock shapes and use green icing and sprinkles to frost them. For a more traditional option, make a delicious batch of Irish shortbread cookies.
Read books about St. Patrick's Day
A quick visit to your local library will provide a treasure trove of St. Patrick's Day–themed picture books for kids, but be mindful of the types of books you're borrowing. Because the use of leprechauns in media is offensive to some Irish Americans, steer clear of these types of books, and choose more neutral options. One great book to start with is St. Patrick's Day by Gail Gibbons.
St. Patrick's Day crafts
Crafts are always a hit with kids, but be sure to stay away from the common school leprechaun mask craft. Opt instead for a flag of Ireland craft. This one is particularly easy for all ages, even toddlers, as it just requires ripping paper!
"Making this easy Irish flag with a collage technique is even easier than drawing the flag of Ireland. This makes it appropriate for kids as young as toddlers, but it's such a fun craft that older kids will want to make one, too," mom of three Marnie Craycroft wrote for Kidsactivities.com.
"This year we combined math, sensory, and culture to make an Irish flag using shapes. The flag of Ireland is 1:2 proportionally so that weaved in a nice little intro math lesson right from the start," Craycroft explained.
